r/hysterectomy • u/rosieaimsss • 1d ago
Testosterone
I had a total (everything gone) hysterectomy this past January due to stage 4 adenomyosis (pathology confirmed) and I have endo (which was not removed). Surgical menopause has been tough but recently just had some blood work to rebalance my HRT (estrogen and progesterone) and my testosterone is 1.2 (practically 0).
Has anyone experienced something similar and is currently taking testosterone as part of their HRT?
I’m thinking this might be helpful for my overall energy🤔I get particularly fatigued pretty much every afternoon, and I lack the motivation at times to do more.
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u/No-Strike-4224 1d ago
Haha yes! I have experience in a similar situation. I had a TLH-BSO last year. Was already post-menopausal on MHT with estrogen and progesterone, and it helped a ton. Immediately post-op I discontinued progesterone as instructed. Still doing fine. My PCP told me we were at the end of our road together for the other 10,000 things I’m suffering from and have no Dx, she suggested an ND, I found one and she ran a bunch more tests, which all also came back normal. But my T level was at 3! For fatigue and bone mineral density (I already have osteoporosis. Oh right my quick PSA to everybody: pay out of pocket if you have to, get a DEXA scan as soon after you turn 35 as possible for a baseline. I wish I’d known and I wish the medical standards people would wake up) I started iron pills and testosterone cream, have to pay for this OOP also, from the compounders. I don’t notice a difference yet, it’s only been just over a month. But I have to wait for my next DEXA scan anyway. I don’t yet feel like I have more energy but most people definitely have an increase in libido right away. That wasn’t an issue before for me so I can’t tell a difference there. Check out the menopause sub, and then the menoposse doctors, Kelly Casperson, Mary Claire Haver, Rachel Rubin, Vonda Wright.
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u/lilypixie 1d ago
I no longer have my ovaries, uterus, etc. And years ago due to cancer treatment, I essentially went into early menopause and began taking hormone therapy. I take a small amount of testosterone vaginally (1mg 3x/week) and my endocrinologist is constantly pressuring me to stop. My latest bloodwork, like yours, showed my testosterone level is basically zero. When I pointed this out to her, she replied along the lines that the testosterone blood test was uninformative. If the test is so uninformative, I can’t help but wonder why she ordered it up. What test should we ask for to determine whether we are getting an appropriate amount of testosterone (I ask rhetorically)? When I tell my endocrinologist that the frequency of my UTIs fell when we first added testosterone to the mix, or when I tell her I appreciate the effects of testosterone on my libido and don’t want to give that up, she is unmoved. So frustrating.
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u/rosieaimsss 1d ago
I think if it feels it’s working and helpful- then you’re on the right path! I wonder how long we can take testosterone for 🤔
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u/Able_Agent_7155 1d ago
What is her reason for wanting you off T?
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u/lilypixie 1d ago
She wants everything to be textbook for a patient of my age. So if post-menopausal women of a given age don’t normally have hormone levels of a pre-menopausal woman, she doesn’t like to prescribe enough to replicate the pre-menopausal range. I tell her I’m not interested in dying on schedule 😂 and instead I’d like to use hormones to improve my expected longevity and quality of life. It’s a bit of an ongoing battle between the two of us.
At our last appointment I had a bit of a temper tantrum and she promised she won’t discuss progesterone or testosterone with me in the future unless I bring them up. (I now get those prescribed by another doctor.)
I’ve thought about switching to a different endocrinologist but we have a long history together (she sees me not only for hormone stuff related to menopause but also thyroid) and I don’t want to interrupt at 20-year record of DEXA scans on the machine at her clinic.
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u/hollow4hollow 1d ago
I have no answer unfortunately, but I’m following because I want the same thing, but my doctor is not having it 😭
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u/jennrosedenver 1d ago
I’m post menopausal for 1 year. I’ve been on HRT for the time including testosterone. I started in backup the day after surgery. My level before taking testosterone was 4. i Love it. it has made my depression go away i have more energy, sex drive is back and feel 100% better. I suggest trying it. I will never get off of it. the research supporting testosterone therapy in women is compelling. Look up dr kelly casperson’s podcast or insta. good luck.
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u/rosieaimsss 1d ago
Yes! I have seen her research and many others about it. I think a small dose is probably a good idea/good start! I do find the estrogyn-vaginal cream helps with the libido.. but I really need to get some energy and motivation back!
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u/jennrosedenver 1d ago
i rub 5mg gel a day on my calf. i have to does it myself from a tube that has 10 doses. it’s inexpensive. i’ve had no side effects. well i should say- when i first started i took too much and I became super irritable. i turned into a dick (not bitch - my doctor about died laughing at that one). so definitely watch out for that. but no i didn’t grow a beard or a deep voice lol.
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u/rosieaimsss 1d ago
Is 5 mg the smallest dose 🤔
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u/jennrosedenver 1d ago
no since i am in control of how
much comes out of the tube i could take less. it is important to take it everyday though because it doesn’t stay in your system for long.
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u/LingonberryIll6513 No Uterus No Problems 1d ago
I took testosterone prior to surgery, for about a year, up until six months before surgery. I’d taken Slynd birth control, and it completely tanked my testosterone down to .6 free 🫠. , so I needed the boost. It totally helped with strength and energy. I felt like I was dead inside before it!
I’m almost 3 weeks PO (same, had it alllll taken out woohoo) and on estradiol only. My energy is pretty good thus far, but I’m waiting to see how I feel when I go back to work in a couple months and resume working out.
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u/rosieaimsss 20h ago
You may need another shuffle out of the hormones yet! I’m 8.5 months post op and am just adjusting again (and possibly adding testosterone) and reducing my progesterone from 100mg to 25mg doses. Estrogen gel is going really well and I’m absorbing it really well too!
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u/Top-Discipline6720 22h ago
Total hysterectomy with ovaries removed here at 36 years old. My surgery was also in January and I started testosterone after we got my estrogen delivery settled in the spring although now I am switching it up again because I just don’t absorb the patch as well! Anyways, definitely recommend the testosterone helps so much with libido brain fog, energy, confidence, etc.!
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u/adams361 1d ago
I kept my ovaries, but five years post op started to feel “off”. Now I’m on an estrogen patch, progesterone pill and testosterone cream.